Chapter 49

CHARTS SHOWING HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF FURNITURE

LOUIS XIV, 1643 to {Compressed regularity {Straight, square, 1715 { giving way in { grooved and very Key-note { reaction to a { squat cabriole The Grand { ponderous ugliness. { legs. Audience Rooms { {

THE REGENCY AND {The Reign of Woman. {Cabriole legs of a LOUIS XV, 1715 to { { perfect lightness 1774 { { and grace. Key-note { { The Boudoir { {

{The transition style {Legs tapering { between the Bourbon { straight, rounded { Interior Decoration { and grooved. A { and that of { few square-grooved { the "Directorate" { legs and LOUIS XVI, 1774 to { and "Empire," { a few graceful, 1793 { characterised by a { slender cabriole Key-note { return to the classic { legs. The Salon _Intime_ { line which reflects { { a more serious turn { { of mind on part of { { the Nation in an age { { of great mental { { activity. {

{Classic lines. {Classic decorations with subjects taken from { Greek mythologies. {Winged figures, emblems of liberty; antique { heads of helmeted warriors, made like { medallions, wreaths, lyres, torches, { rosettes, etc. {Besides the wonderful mounts of Ormoulu, { designed by the great sculptors and painters { of the period, there was a great deal { of fine brass inlaying. {Antique vases taken from ancient tombs were THE FIRST EMPIRE, { placed in recesses in the walls of rooms NAPOLEON I, 1804 { after the style of the ancient "Columbaria." to 1814 {Every effort was made to surround Napoleon I { with the dignity and austere sumptuousness { of a great Roman Emperor. As we have said, { he had been in Rome and he had been in Egypt; { the art of the French Empire was reminiscent { of both. Napoleon would outstrip the other { conquerors of the world. {Some Empire furniture shows the same fine { turning which characterizes Jacobean furniture { of both oak and walnut periods. We refer to { the round, not spiral, turning. See legs of { Empire sofa on which Madame Récamier reclines { in the well-known portrait by David (Louvre).

ENGLISH FURNITURE

{Gothic, through 14th Century. THE OAK PERIOD {Renaissance, 16th Century. (including early {Elizabethan, 16th Century. Jacobean) {Jacobean or Stuart, 17th Century; James I, { Charles I and II, and James II, 1603-1688.

{Late Jacobean. THE WALNUT PERIOD {William and Mary, 1688. {Queen Anne, 1702.

"MAHOGANY" PERIOD {Chippendale. {18th Century. (and other imported {HEPPELWHITE. { woods), or {SHERATON { CHIPPENDALE PERIOD. {THE ADAM BROTHERS. {

{Almost no furniture exists of the 13th { Century. We get the majority of our GOTHIC PERIOD, { ideas from illustrated manuscripts of Through 14th Century. { that time. The furniture was carved { oak or plain oak ornamented with { iron scroll work, intended both for { strength and decoration.

RENAISSANCE OR {The characteristic, heavy, wide mouldings ELIZABETHAN, { and small panels, and heavy round 16th Century. { carving.

{Panels large and mouldings very narrow and { flat, or no mouldings at all, and flat { carving. The classic influence shown during JACOBEAN OR { the period of the Commonwealth in designs, STUART PERIOD, { pilastars and pediments was the result of a 17th Century. { classic reaction, all elaboration being { resented. WALNUT PERIOD, {The Restoration brought in elaborate late 17th Century. { carving. Dutch influence is exemplified { in the fashion for inlaying imported from { Holland, as well as the tulip design. { Turned legs, stretchers, borders and spiral { turnings, characterized Jacobean style.

In the GOTHIC PERIOD (extending { through 14th Century), as { the delightful irregularity in { line and decoration shows, {Tables, chests, presses (wardrobes), there was NO SET TYPE; each { chairs and benches or piece was an individual creation { settles. and showed the personality { of maker. {

During RENAISSANCE OR ELIZABETHAN { PERIOD (16th Century) {Table chests, presses, chairs, types begin to establish { benches, settles, and small and repeat themselves. { chests of drawers.

{Inlaying in ebony, ivory, { mother-of-pearl, and ebonised { oblong bosses of the jewel type { (last half of 17th Century). In the JACOBEAN (17th Century) { The tulip design introduced there was already a set type, { from Holland as decoration. pieces made all alike, turned {Turned and carved frames and out by the hundreds. { stretchers; caned seats and { backs to chairs, velvet cushions, { velvet satin damask and { needlework upholstery, the { seats stuffed.

Henry VIII made England _Protestant_, it having been Roman Catholic for several hundred years before the coming of the Anglo-Saxons and for a thousand years after.

{QUEEN ELIZABETH. PROTESTANT. { {"The Elizabethan Period."

STUART. {JAMES I. 1603. ROMAN CATHOLIC. { "JACOBEAN." {CHARLES I. (Puritan Revolution), 1628.

{Oliver Cromwell. 1649. PURITAN. { {Commonwealth.

STUART. {Charles II. (1660), Restoration. ROMAN CATHOLIC. { "JACOBEAN." {James II. (1686), Deposition and Flight.

{William--Prince of Orange (Holland), 1688. PROTESTANT. { Who had married the English Princess { Mary and was the only available _Protestant_ { (1688).

PROTESTANT. --Queen Anne (1702-1714).